Clip member



Dec. 10, 1963 D- R. KNOWLTON 3,113,811

CLIP MEMBER Filed March 21, 1960 Invenio a" United States Patent 3,113,811 CLIP MEMBER David R. Knowlton, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United- Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, at corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 16,557 4 Claims. (Cl. 30888) This invention relates in general to fastening devices and in particular to a clip member adapted to reinforce a lubrication sleeve for use in journal boxes of railroad cars.

Proper lubrication of the journals of railroad cars has always created a problem and various methods have been used to retain oil in the journal box. One device now in use includes a series of spaced elliptical metal resilient bands joined by lateral strapping with the entire structure having a fibrous covering. One problem inherent with the device is that a certain amount of compression along a minor axis is necessary to allow insertion Within the journal box resulting in the bands exceeding their elastic limit and breaking or failing to return to the original configuration.

The object of this invention is to provide a clip which can easily be inserted within the resilient bands to reinforce them against excessive compression.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clip which is simple and economical to manufacture and which will resist vertical compression.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the lubricating device illustrating the application of the clips to the resilient bands with a portion of the outer covering broken away;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the entire structure, illustrating two clips in assembly;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the clip;

FIG. 4 is an end View of the clip;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the clip; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line 66 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a lubrication packing Llll including an outer covering 12 supported by a series 5 of elliptical bands 14 having major a-a axis and minor axis b-b connected by lateral strapping 16 and having reinforcing clips 18 inserted within the ends 20 of the bands 14.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3 is formed from a single piece of resilient material such as sheet metal and includes a base 22 having an arm 24 extending arcuately back upon itself with the free end 26 of the arm 24 extending beyond the base and bent downwardly to lie substantially co-planar with the free end 28 of the base 22 and interlocking therewith so that the free end 28 of the base makes contact and abuts the inner surface 29 of the arm 24-. A plurality of ribs 30 are formed in the lateral surface 32 of the clip 13 to strengthen the device and act as an aid to resist compression. A plurality of deformable tabs 34- extend outward from the edges 36 of the arm 24- and as illustrated in FIG. 1, are capable of being crimped over the edges 38 of the bands 14 to prevent dislodgment of the clips 18.

3,1 lid ll Federated Dec. 19, T1963 The clip members 18 are assembled with the bands 14 prior to the installation of the outer covering 12 by simply placing the clip within the area at the extreme ends of the major axis aa with the arcuate arm 24 conforming to the inner curvature of the band and crimping the tabs 34 over the edges 38 of the bands 14 by means of a suitable tool (not shown). It will readily be seen that as the free end 23 of the base 22 abuts the inner surface 29 of the arm 24 and extends substantially perpendicular thereto, the clip will resist forces applied normal to the axis of the center of curvature of the arm 24 and coplanar to the base 22'.

Since certain other obvious modifications may be made in this device without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A one-piece reinforcing clip member adapted for lateral insertion within the folds of a substantially oval band, said clip member having a base and a generally semi-circular configuration having one side portion substantially normal to the base with interlocking distal end portions, a plurality of integral tabs extending outwardly from the edges of said clip member for deformable engagement with the opposed edges of said band.

2. A one-piece clip member for insertion within opposed folds of a substantially oval resilient band to maintain said folds in spaced relation, said clip including a vertical base member having one end arcuately extending back upon said base terminating in a distal end c0- planar with said base and interlocking therewith, a plurality of spaced ribs formed in the lateral surface of said clip member and means integral with said clip for attachment to the band.

3. A reinforcing clip member for use with a structural support comprising a base, an integral extension of said base curved back upon itself defining a portion of a circle with one distal end entering into locking engagement with the other distal end, one side portion of said clip member defining a diameter being substantially parallel to the base, said clip member retained in assembly with said support by tab means outwardly extending from the side edge of said extension.

4. A one-piece packing clip for use in railroad journal boxes and the like comprising a base having an extension bent arcuately back defining a semi-circle in relation to said base in which a diameter of said semi-circle is substantially parallel to the base, said extension having a free distal end, said base having a free end, said free end of said base entering into abutting engagement with said free distal end of said extension and deformable tabs extending outwardly from the edges of said extension.

References (Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 348,378 Butler Aug. 31, 1886 1,893,098 Murray et al. Jan. 3, 1933 2,597,254 Meohas May 20, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 357,565 France Nov. 15, 1905 204,383 Australia Dec. 29, 1955 

1. A ONE-PIECE REINFORCING CLIP MEMBER ADAPTED FOR LATERAL INSERTION WITHIN THE FOLDS OF A SUBSTANTIALLY OVAL BAND, SAID CLIP MEMBER HAVING A BASE AND A GENERALLY SEMI-CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION HAVING ONE SIDE PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE BASE WITH INTERLOCKING DISTAL END PORTIONS, A PLURALITY OF INTEGRAL TABS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE EDGES OF SAID CLIP MEMBER FOR DEFORMABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPPOSED EDGES OF SAID BAND. 